Modernization of Graphic Design Software for Creating Print Content

Summary

A printing company's customer-facing design app, built in Delphi, had limited features and could not be extended. Through an Austrian software partner, INNERLUXES rebuilt it from the ground up in C++ with the Qt framework as a desktop "print e-factory" of six components, letting customers design graphic products such as calendars, photo books, and cards and handle the entire prepress process themselves. Distributed free through the printing company's website, the new tool supports ongoing updates and advanced design and helps fuel the company's sales.

About the Client

The Client is an Austrian company that has provided custom software development services and SMS marketing solutions for more than 25 years.

A Legacy Delphi App That Could Not Keep Up

The Client was looking for a partner to help deliver a project for a printing company. The printing company needed a convenient desktop app that would let users create personalized designs for graphic products — calendars, greeting and business cards, and more — and handle everything before printing without any assistance. The previous version of the app, written in Delphi, had a limited range of features and did not support functionality changes, so to help the printing company stay competitive, the Client turned to INNERLUXES to develop a new desktop app with extensive design capabilities.

A Six-Component "Print E-Factory" in C++/Qt

INNERLUXES implemented the solution in C++ with the Qt framework as a print e-factory that lets users carry out all prepress on their own, across six components:

• Welcome Screen — an easy-to-navigate, visually appealing catalog of the printing company's products (posters, photo books, calendars, and more) with item descriptions and quick links to the Order Assistant; service and price information can be updated by any employee, with no IT skills required.
• Order Assistant — once a product type such as a photobook is chosen, it helps pinpoint the subtype (for example, a standard linen cover or an individual photo cover), upload images, and start the design with templates and themes.
• Layout Editor — for more advanced work, users add visual effects such as shadows and frames and adjust colors and image settings.
• Basket — on completing a design, the user moves to the Basket, which calculates the total cost from the order's characteristics and offers either to select one of the printing company's print centers or to upload the order to the server for the company to produce and deliver by post.
• Photo Manager — a plugin for creating photo albums, with an Image Editor for applying filters to photos in the Photo Manager or Layout Editor.
• Order information plugin — a component to store and review order-related information.

A Modern, Updatable Tool That Fuels Sales

• The printing company received a robust tool for designing and ordering customized graphic products.
• Unlike the previous Delphi-based version, the new solution supports updates and can perform advanced design tasks.
• Distributed for free through the printing company's website, the desktop app streamlines the design process and helps drive the company's sales.

Technologies and Tools

C++, Qt framework. Platforms: Windows, macOS.